Titanium welding question

[ZackR]

Hello,

I would be interested in hearing what pulse settings people are using for titanium. I think I am getting pretty close to where I want to be, but am still getting some blue color on the edge of the shielding gas.

DSCF6211.jpg

The material is 0.875'' OD with 0.051'' wall

0.045'' filler wire

So far what has been working best for me has been:

59 peak amps, 10% pulse on, 55% Pulse amps, about 1Hz
1/16 rare earth tungsten, #15 cup on a large diameter gas lens, about 3/4'' stick out. I have played with the gas from 15-35cfh and I have been getting the best results with about 25cfh.

I have been trying to do short passes of less than 1/4 tube diameter and letting it cool down, should I let it get cold between passes?

I am going to get some more scrap and some .035'' wire later today and see how that goes.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Also, before anyone asks, these parts are not purged, that is the next thing I am going to have to figure out.

Zack Rielley

[ZackR]

Well, I will respond myself.

I was advised to try around 115 peak amps, 5% background amps, with 10-15% pulse time on.

Was also told to let the part cool down more.

Will report back

[abbeyQ]

What's the inside look like?

[ZackR]

The picture was from when I was only worrying about the outside and getting my initial setting correct, so they were not purged and therefore, looked terrible inside.

I have since used pulse settings similar to what I wrote in my second post and am getting closer to where I want to be, I think. I also did some purging and the inside looks better than the outside, so the purge is working. I need to get some bigger pieces to practice on, as I think the parts are so small that they are getting pretty saturated with heat during even short welds. I have also been using foil to try to dam the argon.

Also, when it comes to the level of acceptable color, am I really only concerned with the color on the weld itself and less concerned with the color on the outside of the gas envelope?

[VertigoCycles]

150A, 5-10% BG, 25-30% on time, 1-3PPS

Ultimately, you need to figure out what's going to work for you. Some people don't pulse, some do, people use all different sizes of filler depending on the specific area, it's geometry and their technique.

The only thing I'd advise for you is to turn up your heat and move faster. 60A might get the job done but you'll get it done faster and cleaner with more power. And there's going to be a time when you need to punch the pedal and use up the headroom to start a puddle quickly. The rest of the stuff (BG, Pulse and On-time) you'll figure out.

[abbeyQ]

Pulse settings aren't going to magically solve the lumpy weld. Like Sean said you'll need some time to find pulse settings that work for you. Everybody welds differently and there's no magic bullet for that one. I'm of the opinion that a lot of people are so paranoid about O2 contamination that they don't get the weld hot enough to get the bead to lay down and get decent penetration. Get the weld to look smooth and your tie ins to not hump up and then worry about what color it is. Just because you're welding doesn't mean you have to add filler. It's preferable to start a few dips back from the previous end point and basically re-melt the weld, then start adding filler where the previous weld stopped. This keeps your tie ins smoother and your penetration more consistent.

pulse testing by Miller Although this testing is specific to sanitary stainless it's applicable to pulse settings as a whole.

[edoz]

You need to purge it every time. The puddle will behave differently based on whether you have an inert atmosphere inside that allows the back side of the weld to settle in like the front, or oxygen contamination on the back side causing crystallization, which will keep your puddle from sinking like it would if you had a proper purge. You've already spent a chunk of change on material and filler, don't shoot yourself in the foot by trying to save a buck or two.
Also, ideally there shouldn't be color outside the gas envelope. If it's hot enough to turn colors, you need to have gas on it.

[ZackR]

I think I have abandoned low speed pulse for slight higher speed pulse and am getting much better results. I understand that everybody uses a different technique and I was trying to get some insight into what it seems like many(most?) people are doing(low speed pulse). It feels very unnatural to me and in all the years I have been welding I have never used low speed pulse.

I am also not overly concerned with getting a little color outside the shielding, because from everything I have read references colors(contamination) on the weld bead itself and not so much around the weld. It is also difficult to figure out what people are deeming acceptable, because people generally only post photos of there best, color free welds and that lends itself to the idea that anything that is not perfect will explode(or something).

If anyone cares what I have found works best for what I am trying to do is:

peak 80amps
on time 50%
background %50
25pps
0.045'' rod dipped

I am also using those same setting to fuse.

When I get these bars done, I will post some photos, even the parts that have a little bit of color.

[VertigoCycles]

I think I have abandoned low speed pulse for slight higher speed pulse and am getting much better results. I understand that everybody uses a different technique and I was trying to get some insight into what it seems like many(most?) people are doing(low speed pulse). It feels very unnatural to me and in all the years I have been welding I have never used low speed pulse.

I am also not overly concerned with getting a little color outside the shielding, because from everything I have read references colors(contamination) on the weld bead itself and not so much around the weld. It is also difficult to figure out what people are deeming acceptable, because people generally only post photos of there best, color free welds and that lends itself to the idea that anything that is not perfect will explode(or something).

If anyone cares what I have found works best for what I am trying to do is:

peak 80amps
on time 50%
background %50
25pps
0.045'' rod dipped

I am also using those same setting to fuse.

When I get these bars done, I will post some photos, even the parts that have a little bit of color.

You won't see much color at all in a raw frame built by any good welder. Most of us have figured out what works for us and have little tools that keep the color in check in the spots that we know can get weird due to geometry. FWIW, I don't post weld finish my frames. They go out raw and they have almost no color on them save for a faint white halo on the outer edge of the HAZ. You'd see the same on almost every frame from Eriksen, Moots, Firefly, Alliance, Strong, 333Fab and many others. They're that way because the tools and the technique are sorted.

[zank]

My opinion is 0 pps, 100% peak time.